OutRun 2006: Coast 2 Coast

By simply making sure that absolutely everything in the game is designed to remove the usual restrictions on fun, Sumo's created something that practically transcends rivals like PGR3 and Burnout before you even done anything.

Until you've cleared route A in under four minutes you can never truly say that you've lived.

The PS2 version of the game looks every bit as good as on the more powerful Xbox, and gamers would be hard pushed to distinguish it from the arcade version.

Not only will you be giving yourself the chance to sample some of the best driving title delights in recent memory, but you’ll be encouraging all those other publishers and developers to keep on tweaking those much-loved, but ridiculously over-looked classics and offer up more of the same.

Once you've witnessed the beauty of the courses, felt the perfection of the sliding feel and mastered the art of flicking your Ferrari from one powerslide into another, you won't want to go back to any other boring old driving game. OutRun 2006 shows that when it comes to making games you want to play over and over again, realism isn't as important as sheer fun, colour and character.

OutRun 2006: Coast 2 Coast offers up nothing more than a single focal point of arcade racing gameplay that’s polished and honed to perfection. All other considerations are devoid of merit.

OutRun 2006: Coast 2 Coast might just be the best arcade racer available on all three systems.

The inclusion of connectivity to the PSP was a stroke of genius that I hope other developers take note of and use in the future.

Bold, fun, unapologetically arcadey and oh-so-lovely to look at, OutRun 2006 deserves a prized spot in the collection of any discerning gamer. The best racer of 2006 so far.

If you're jonesing for old-school, demerara-sweet gameplay wrapped up in a shiny 21st century paackage, by all means, merge with OutRun 2006. [Jun 2006, p.48]

Fast, beautiful and perfectly playable. Embrace its simplicity and lose yourself in the ride of your life. Don't expect ANY realism though. [Apr 2006, p.56]

The $30 price tag, combined with the huge pile of content added, makes this a must-own for racing fans, Sega fans, or people just looking for a great arcade racer to add to their gaming library. OutRun2006 perfectly fits the definition of a sleeper hit.

Instead of a sense of "been there, done that" it will be a wave of comforting nostalgia, like a sea breeze taking you back to days gone by. OutRun 2006 is a lot of fun, it's just that you have to know exactly what to expect from the series.

Its more of a single player experience than it is for multiples of people, and in that sense it works nearly perfectly. Car handling is simple, the frame rate is speedy, but more than anything Coast 2 Coast is fantastic fun to play - a quality that many a game bogged down with FMVs and unnecessary complications neglects.

Whether your time with it lasts a few hours, a whole week or a month, OutRun 2006 will not disappoint.

A competent, pure arcade-racing experience. No simulation pretences here. Very good in small doses. [April 2006]

It is a classic in every sense of the word and while not perfect, still retains the fun and feel of the old school game, but with some new school treats that will make you smile from ear to ear.

It’s unabashedly repetitive, cartoony and not as pretty as many would like, but it’s still the most beautiful journey yet. [Mar 2006, p.96]

A handsome looking and crazily addictive arcade racer remake that's only limited by its overly faithful take on the '80's original. [Mar 2006, p.82]

An exceptional title; pure, simple, fun, brilliant - I simply can't lay enough superlatives around the game.

A very simple idea, brilliantly put together: a high speed nostalgia trip that, unlike other games you remember from your youth, won’t leave you thinking: ‘Surely it was better than that’.

Outrun 2006 Coast 2 Coast offers a fun, accessible experience to racing fans who just want to jam on the accelerator and go.

Sure, it's a developer's cut, in a way, but that's like an extra scoop of ice cream on an already-great banana split. Gorge yourself in the glory of Outrun.

The branching track system is brilliantly designed to challenge and thrill in equal measure. Giddy car handling enables skilled drivers to power-slide gracefully around corners at ridiculous speed.

Six-player online racing on both systems(complete with friends lists)seals the deal--if you love racing games, you have to get this. [Jun 2006, p.82]

If you loved the classic OutRun and happened to miss OutRun 2, you definitely need to give Coast 2 Coast a try. It's a prime example of how to update a classic video game for a modern system.

It's nice to see a revamp of a true classic that's been handled so well though.

As impressive as a racer like "PGR3" can be, the learning curve and time investment aren't for everyone. OutRun 2 is just as entertaining, and almost as challenging, no matter what sort of digital driver you happen to be.

It’s retro comebacks at its finest.

I have a feeling that some of the younger set won’t have such an easy time with the shallow, repetitive nature of the racing – especially compared to the similarly priced likes of Burnout 3, Burnout Revenge or Need For Speed Most Wanted.

The audio is about what you’d expect from an Outrun game - nearly perfect. Both the remixes and original OR songs enhance the action, and accurately reflect the casual vibe given off throughout it.

While some of the content is new, the game plays exactly the same--fast, thick with the flavor of classic arcades, and kind of simplistic. [Jun 2006, p.110]

Nostalgia and style are weak currencies to a mass market obsessed with content, and OutRun's primary commercial frailties are its simplicity, its repetition and its lack of long-term structure.

While it can get monotonous at times, there is plenty of fuel in the tank of OutRun 2006 Coast 2 Coast.

There isn't enough of a difference between this game and Outrun2 to make it worth respending $30 on.

It's a good game that holds onto the initial flavor of the arcade franchise, and it incorporates a few new twists on the game formula. At the same time, it's the same graphical engine, the same levels and practically the same idea just two years later with limited replayability once beaten.

But those who’ve played Outrun 2 and found themselves bored of it after a few days will find nothing here to reignite the flame.

There are just too many other, better racers on the PS2 that you should play even before OutRun 2006 comes to mind.

Oh, and if you already own OutRun 2 on the Xbox, don't bother with this update. [Jun 2006, p.110]

When the concept of OutRun 2006: Coast 2 Coast was pitched there would have been a decision made, go retro and incorporate as much of the older title with some new elements, or make a new and revolutionary racing simulator. The result was to sit in the middle and therefore the end result is essentially a mediocre title.